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Monday, February 17, 2014

The 131 Preview Review takes on something a wee Bit Different... The Unconventional Dwarf With Dr. Tof Eklund for #MondayBlogs

The 131 Preview Review Presents

The Unconventional Dwarf is the first in a series of books intended to bring role playing into the 21st century by taking it back to its roots and questioning its fundamental assumptions. The Unconventional Dwarf will show some of the ways to make a game unique, to re-ground fantasy in real-world myths and logical consistency, while also renewing that lost sense of wonder. Each of the Dwarven societies presented herein have familiar traits, but in new contexts and they all overturn certain aspects of Dwarves a you know them in favor of an original and consistent society inspired by everything from Ancient Sparta, Imperial Rome, and the Amazons to cave-diving, celebrity culture, and even the naked mole rat. Whether looking for a concept for the next character, working on developing a world for the next session, seeking inspiration for a game design project, or simply looking for a good read, it is our hope that these pages will inspire, amuse and maybe challenge you.

Well That should wet the palette.....

The Unconventional Dwarf is the 1st in what should be considered the most innovative RPG companion books of its time. For years D&D and D20 players have experienced game play with standards of character development which have not grown since it's conception. If one wanted to create a character outside of the "conventional" or standard type it took a mathematical genius to cross class and figure out how to increase this or that stat accordingly.

And that only works if you've got a DM who'd allow it in the 1st place. For many the RPG games are about pre-created worlds and battle, for some it's more about the character creation. But regardless of how you approach your gaming this book is a worthy addition to your sets.

It takes to the lesser touched subjects from the LGBTQ communities and gives them a voice and a role, it looks at the Dwarves as more than brackish, course little warriors with funny head gear and too much hair.

This book starts out with an explanation of what and where the concept of the traditional Dwarves comes from, exploring the Nordic(Germaine & Tolkien) Roots. From the beard to the threads and through their culture it's all lain out quite fascinatingly. Even referring to another author as to the "Are there female Dwarves?" Argument.

The Unconventional Dwarf stays true to it's promise with several different "sub-species" or classes of Dwarves, each with their own rich histories, or in some cases lack of histories. And all the other fun tid bits we gamers have come to expect, added stats, rich and colorful worlds to explore and more. But if your not a gamer, this book is still easy to understand and fro the writer, or game creator.. Well I know it's certainly got my wheels a turning... Do pick this one up, I highly recommend it!!

And Watch out for The Unconventional Elf, Spring 2014!!! In the mean time check out some other great venues from Dr. Tof Eklund!!!

The In Dreams...Series, The Roads Trilogy, is the accumulation of almost eight years of writing. Begun in 2006 after a D&D campaign

ended S.I.Hayes took the world and created the Unavoidable Road. It took five years as

Shannon spent many months at a time in an undiagnosed Bi-Polar fog.

In 2010, she finally found the help she needed and she has been writing feverishly ever since

The first book wast over 130,000 words, so she decided that it needed to be smaller if only tonot scare readers away form an unknown book that was so thick.

Thus the first trilogy was born.

In between she became the CoAuthor to Awakenings: The Wrath Saga, a Paranormal Drama likened to Big Brother Meets The Real World, of the Preternatural, Several blogs and her own website. S.I.Hayes.com.

S.I.Hayes

I have a mind that is easily distracted and prone to wandering. Tangents are my forte, and vampires have been an obsession long before they looked like Brad Pit or *gag sparkled. Don't get me wrong I love Anne Rice, and good on the other broad for making a buck. But if you think my characters are going to fit a cookie cutter shape of any kind, think again. They live, they love, they eat, sleep and F**k. Whomever and where ever they please. I believe that people are inherently sexual creatures and my characters be they human or something all together else are no exception.